


If That's Not Love Then What Is

by larrymylove



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arguing, Banter, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Healing, M/M, Netflix and Chill, Post-Break Up, Teasing, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-27 19:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17772734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larrymylove/pseuds/larrymylove
Summary: There are a few things in life that Louis Tomlinson cannot stand - Conversation Hearts candy and Harry Styles. But when Harry gets broken up with the day before Valentine's, and Louis is the only one he can turn to, he starts to reevaluate things.





	If That's Not Love Then What Is

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Early Valentine's Day! This fic.....kind of means quite a lot to me. I haven't written in a very, very long time and even when I've tried in the past to get back to it, it's only very brief, short little drabbles here and there. But this fic idea came to me and I knew I had to write it. It took some twists and turns along the way, but I am so proud of it and so proud of myself too - if that's an okay thing to say. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Please leave a comment/kuddo, they absolutely make my day. And I hope everyone has a lovely and safe Valentine's Day, whether it's with a loved one or alone. And if you are spending it alone, go ahead and spoil the absolute shit out of yourself. Buy yourself some candy and teddy bear and snuggle in with Netflix and just "treat yo self." That's what I'm gonna do :)

Louis hadn’t exactly envisioned he’d be spending his Valentine’s Day this way, but here he was, sitting on Niall’s couch that smelled of popcorn and beer, watching Bake Off with his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him, waiting for his pizza delivery. When Niall had first called to ask if Louis could flat-sit for him over the Valentine weekend, Louis didn’t even hesitate. It would give him an excuse, something to say that yes, he did have plans for Valentine’s, thank you very much; even if it was to just sit on Niall’s couch and look after Duff, Niall’s cantankerous cat he’d inherited from a cousin who’s new flat didn’t allow for pets. It wasn’t too shabby of a gig. Niall had said that Louis could crash in his bed, which was somehow way more comfortable than Louis’ own, and order whatever takeaway he wanted with money Niall had left behind for the purpose. And Duff wasn’t exactly a handful. He mostly spent his time under Niall’s bed, still unsure of his new surroundings. Duff was the main reason Louis was here. Niall had been anxious to leave him alone in a new place. Louis had said he wasn’t big on animals, but Niall had called him a liar and had said Louis would be a calming presence to Duff. Whatever that meant. 

There was a knock at the door, and Louis paused his binge-session of Bake Off to go collect his pizza. He snatched the cash off the kitchen counter and headed towards the door, stomach growling and ready for a double cheese, pepperoni, ham, and jalapeno pie. What he got instead, was Harry Styles. Harry Styles standing in the doorway with red rimmed eyes and a splotchy face, wearing a stupid white t-shirt with pastel candy hearts printed all over it. He looked ridiculous. Louis said as much.

“Gee, thanks,” Harry’s jaw tensed, “Where’s Niall? I need to talk to Niall.”

Louis felt a little bad. It was clear Harry was in some kind of distress. But then again, when _wasn’t_ Harry in some kind of distress? Everything was always something when it came to Harry Styles. It was part of the reason Louis had always found him so insufferable. He never understood what Niall found appealing enough about him to befriend him in the first place. He always made Louis feel on edge and annoyed with every little thing he said and did. He was far too pretentious for his own good, and most of the interactions they shared, resulted in a fight that left Niall exasperated with the both of them. 

“He’s visiting Shawn for the weekend, remember? I’m flat-sitting for him while he’s gone.” Louis raised a brow. It’d been all Niall had been talking about for the last week. 

“Oh,” Harry’s face crumbled, “Oh, that’s right. I-I’m sorry. I just….I completely forgot. I’ll be going then.” 

“Harry….wait,” Louis said before he could stop himself. Not that he thought he really would. Harry might annoy the hell out of him most days, but Louis wasn’t cruel. “Why don’t you come inside? I have pizza on the way. And Bake Off is on. Well, I’m binging it on Netflix. But you’re welcome to watch with me. I-if you’d like.”

Harry stared at him, slowly blinking those too-big, too-green eyes at him. Louis waited a tick, thinking maybe Harry had broken, or malfunctioned or something. Finally, he stopped slow blinking, and nodded, surprising Louis when he said, “Okay. Yeah, that sounds good.”

Louis held the door open wider and let Harry step inside. He turned to head back towards the couch, expecting Harry to follow. Instead, he saw he was still just standing in the entryway, pigeon-toed and as awkward as ever. He always reminded Louis of those dogs that were so big but didn’t realize it. His body was lanky and he was always trying to slump himself into something smaller. He looked exceptionally small standing there, arms behind his back and toes pointing towards each other. Louis felt bad. Something was bothering the kid, that was clear to see. It wasn’t Louis’ job to put him back together again. Whenever Harry had some sort of crisis - he’d run out of sweet rose tea without remembering to buy more, someone hadn’t returned his smile at the grocery store, the grocery store being sold out of those sugar cookies with the thick icing he liked too much - it was Niall who’d deal with it. It was never Louis’ problem before. Flat-sitting, cat-sitting, and now Harry-sitting. He was going to build up quite a resume by the time the weekend was through. 

“Harry?” Louis raised a brow, “You good?”

“Oh um, yes. Yeah. Fine. Thank you.”

“Okay…..” Louis turned again to head towards the couch. Harry followed this time. They sat down on opposite ends of the couch, which was good. Harry tended to enjoy sitting in laps and crushing those beneath him. And things were already weird enough tonight without Louis having to deal with a lapful of Harry Styles. He clicked Bake Off back on and tucked himself against his end of the couch. He told himself that Harry would talk when he was ready, that it wasn’t his place to try to pry. And even still, it’d probably be something silly. Maybe he’d found out that the store had sold out of those tacky little Valentine’s Conversation Heart candies he liked too much. This kid and his sweet tooth, Louis swore it wasn’t some wonder he wasn’t just a massive, walking cavity at this point.

Louis thought about texting Niall, asking him what to do in this situation. He wasn’t used to being around Harry Styles alone. This was uncharted territory. Usually they couldn’t go a few moments without some kind of argument or fight, and that was when they were around their mutual friends. Louis didn’t really know what to do with him. But Niall had been looking forward to a romantic weekend with Shawn, and Louis didn’t want to ruin their plans. It was good that Niall had found someone as great as Shawn. The only downside was the distance, but they didn’t mind traveling to see each other. Shawn had visited about two weeks ago, and now it was Niall’s turn to make the trip. They were probably spending time catching up and cuddling and lazing around and…Louis shook his head. He wasn’t going to think about Niall of all people having sexy times with his boyfriend. No. Just…. _no_. It wasn’t that Louis was bitter. He was a confirmed old bachelor, and likely to remain so - or so the voice of Rex Harrison said inside his head. It would just be nice to maybe have someone again in his life. All he had at the moment was a hissy cat and Harry Styles. Not exactly ideal. But Louis had been single for so long now, too many bad breakups and relationships to deter him from chasing after anything else for the time being, and there wasn’t any changing that in the foreseeable future. He’d just be vicariously happy for Niall. Niall deserved to be happy.

Another knock sounded at the door. Harry kind of jolted a bit and Louis frowned. “That’s probably just the pizza. Be right back.”

He grabbed the cash off the counter for a second time that night and was greeted by the Pizza Hut delivery boy this time, and not Harry Styles in pastel hearts and with red-rimmed eyes. Right. He’d been crying. Louis distractedly paid for the pizza and thanked the delivery boy, making a mental note to tread lightly around Harry.  He didn’t do well with crying. It always made him fiercely protective and fiercely cuddleable. He blamed it on having so many younger siblings, but whenever anyone came to him teary, he always wanted to do everything in his power to make it right. But Harry wasn’t one of his younger siblings. Hell, they weren’t even friends. They just hung in the same circle. Louis didn’t know what to do with him. But he had pizza now, so he could feed him. That’d be a start.

“Pizza’s here,” Louis announced, shutting the door behind him with his toe. He sat the pizza on the counter and stacked two plates on top of the box as well as grabbed two beers from the fridge and placed them on top of the plates. Somehow he made it to the living room without dropping everything. 

Harry didn’t say anything, so Louis handed him his beer and his plate and cracked open the cardboard box. The pizza was hot and smelled delicious. He quickly grabbed for a slice and sat one on Harry’s plate when he saw him make no attempt at doing so himself. When Louis was done with two slices, he realized Harry hadn’t even attempted his.

“It’s not everyone’s taste, I know. My sister Lottie thinks the double cheese is disgusting. Niall has some frozen meals, I can pop something in the oven for you if you’d prefer….”

“No, this is fine, thank you,” Harry attempted a smile. It was tight and awkward and it made his eyes seem wetter, “Really, Louis. This is fine.”

“You’re not fine though,” Louis observed, setting his plate down on the table and tucking himself on the couch, facing Harry with his knees pulled to his chin, “Look, I know I’m not Niall, but I think I’m the best you’ve got right now. Which….I’m sorry. But I’m here. If you wanna talk about whatever it is that’s bothering you. I’m here.”

Harry didn’t say anything and Louis huffed, unfolding himself and turning to face the TV again. Of course Harry was going to be difficult. Louis had tried to be nice, tried to be a friend, and Harry just wasn’t going to let it happen. Louis felt something curl in his stomach, as it tended to right before one of their fights. He didn’t even know why he tried. When it came to Harry, it was like trying to make progress with a brick wall. He was an open book to everyone but Louis. Literally. Louis couldn’t even count the number of times they’d all gone out - he and Niall and Liam and Harry - with Harry being so animated and open only to clam completely up as soon as Louis would walk over. As soon as Louis was around, the book that was Harry Styles would slam shut and Louis never would admit it, but it bothered him. A lot, if he was being honest. It was as if Harry had decided a while ago that Louis wasn’t good enough for those more human parts of himself. 

“You’re right, I’m not,” Harry said suddenly, sullenly. It surprised Louis and he turned his attention back to him as Harry tucked himself up on this couch cushion, hugging his legs to his chest as Louis had a moment ago, “He dumped me.”

“What? Who?” Louis knew who. Harry had started seeing some bloke named Nathan awhile back. Louis didn’t get the details, he never did. But from what he could draw from their outings as a circle of friends, Harry had met him in one of his classes. They’d been seeing each other almost every weekend. Harry had gone on and on just last Friday at the bar they’d all met for their weekly drinking sesh, about what he’d planned for his and Nathan’s first Valentine’s. They’d only been together for a few months, but Harry ‘ _just knew_ ’ he had to do something special but ‘ _not too special, don’t want to be weird_.’ Louis’d come back with a ‘ _too late for that, mate._ ’ Harry had given him the middle finger and proceeded to share with the group that he had gotten tickets for Nathan’s favorite band that would be in town….tonight, actually. The plans had been for Harry and Nathan to go see the band at the theater _tonight_. Louis bristled slightly.

“Nathan,” Harry rested his chin on his knees and blinked at Louis expectantly. Louis sighed and turned to face Harry, mirroring his position as if this were a total, usual occurrence for the two of them. It wasn’t it and it felt strange and Louis felt out of place. Still though, he waited for Harry to continue.

“He um….I went to surprise him tonight. With the tickets to Sonic Center. And I was so excited, right? I thought it’d be perfect. I know Valentine’s isn’t until tomorrow, but I figured we’d see the show tonight and after maybe grab a bite to eat and celebrate it tonight. But when I went to his place….jesus, I had red roses too. A fucking bouquet of red roses. As soon as he opened the door and saw me standing there with my roses, he looked almost as surprised as you did tonight to see me. I could feel it. I could feel that something was….off. Something wasn’t right. But I handed him the roses and he invited me inside and I told him I’d scored the tickets to Sonic Center. He just stood there looking at me as I babbled on and on about the show and how I’d been so excited to get the tickets and how I was looking forward to experiencing it with him. When I finally just ran out of things to say….he just stared at me for a moment before saying he didn’t think we were serious. He said that he thought we were just fucking around and that he didn’t think we’d be spending Valentine’s together. He said….get this. He said that that’s more for ‘ _couples_ ’ than for just ‘ _people who are fucking_.’” Harry’s voice broke on the last bit. Louis felt sick. He felt sick and he wanted to march to wherever the fuck Nathan lived and punchim square in the fucking jaw.

“ _What the fuck_? Harry….that’s so….I am so, so sorry!”

Harry shrugged, but the tears were back in his eyes and his nose was growing redder by the second. “I am just so stupid. I should have known. I just…..it’d been months. We’d been seeing each other for _months_. And sure we’d have sex a lot, but I just figured we were in that phase where you’re just like obsessed with each other. Not that that should just be a phase. That kind of thing shouldn’t fizzle out, not if you’re with the right someone. And I’m rambling again. I’m sorry. It’s just…. _I should have known_.”

“Harry, no,” Louis reached out, not really knowing what to do, but he gave his calf a small squeeze through his blue jeans, anyway “This isn’t your fault. He’s a prick. A fucking prick. I am so, so sorry.”

Harry smiled, still tightly, “Thanks, Louis. But it is. I should have seen it. I should have known. He was just using me and I….I let him. I let him and I didn’t try to stop him. He told me that he never thought of seeing me as more than just ‘ _a good lay_ ’ and then….he asked me about the tickets. I handed them to him and he said ‘ _thanks man_ ’ and then had the nerve to say that I should probably get going so he could get ready to go to the show. Said he was going to take a cute boy from his Bio Lab. Can you believe?”

“He just _took_ the tickets? And is there at the concert with another boy? He called you just a ‘ _good lay_ ’?” Louis’ brain was trying to keep up, all the while trying to navigate through the haze of red he saw flash in front of his eyes, “Harry that is so….. _so_ fucked.”

“I know,” Harry squeezed his legs to his chest tighter, as if hugging himself, “But what can I do? I just wanted to get out of there. I was so hurt and so mortified. Fuck, I bet he’s going to give Bio Lab Boy the roses I’d gotten for him too. Fuck.”

“Alright,” Louis’ hand returned to Harry’s calf, and Harry’s eyes tracked the movement, “I’m going to sound like an utter dick for a second, but bear with me. Maybe this is a good thing?” Louis withdrew his hand, “At least you know now and can not waste any more time on this fuckwad, right? 

“Right?” Harry chuckled, but it came out sounding flat, “I suppose it was better now than later. I might have completely embarrassed myself for like, Easter or something. Imagine asking the guy who just considers you a good lay to come spend Easter Sunday with your family?”

“There’s always some silver lining,” Louis said. Nothing about this situation was funny, and in spite of trying to lessen the tension, Louis could tell it still hung in the air like a thick fog. He didn’t know what else to do or say. Other than offer to go pummel Nathan into the pavement on Harry’s behalf. Niall would have known what to say, or what to do. But Niall was with Shawn. And Louis was left alone with a flat and a cat and a heartbroken Harry Styles. It was up to him to put Harry back together. 

“Tell you what,” Louis said, “How about we get up off Niall’s couch and head to the store. I’m thinking we just….completely raid the Valentine’s section. Buy so much candy and those fake plastic roses. We come back here and make good ol’ Nathan a _proper_ Valentine’s bouquet. We open the heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and bite each piece in half, wrap the box back up. We’ll um….we’ll chop the plastic roses off their plastic stems and we’ll buy some of those big helium balloons and we’ll write on them in sharpie ‘ _fuck you_ ’ and variations of the same sentiment. We can take them over to his place while he’s at the show and drop them by the front door and make a run for it. It may not be ‘ _payback_ ’ but there may be something therapeutic in it.”

Harry just stared at him again, and it was really starting to become unsettling when finally he said, “Okay. Sounds like a plan.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah! I mean, it’s not going to help heal anything for me, but it could take my mind off things and it could be fun. Let’s go!”

Louis put the pizza and the beers away, just in case Duff decided to come out from under the bed and decided to sit on the pizza or something. Louis never did understand cats. After picking things up a bit, he shrugged on his denim jacket, grabbed his keys, and he and Harry were off. Once inside Louis’ beat up car, he flipped on the heater and Harry reached over to fiddle with the radio. Of course. It was one of the things about Harry that always annoyed Louis. No matter whose car he was in, he had to reach over and mess with the radio. 

“Oh yes, please just go ahead and make yourself at home,” Louis said, backing the car out.

Harry let out a huff of a chuckle. It was the closest thing to a genuine laugh all night, and Louis didn’t know if he should count it as a win, or be slightly offended. Harry kept messing with the radio until he finally found a station he wanted to listen to. He pulled his knees back to his chest and stared out the window, tapping his fingers on top of his knees to the song on the radio. Louis didn’t recognize it, but the way Harry’s fingers were tapping and the slight bob of his head, Louis figured it was something that made him happy. Or at least as happy as it could in the moment. 

The drive to the store was quiet, and Louis couldn’t help but think to how he’d reacted when he’d first saw Harry at Niall’s door, quick tempered, frustrated, and thinking it was probably just some silly Harry nonsense. A non-problem problem. Louis had often wondered if Harry ever had gone through any bad in his life, with how chipper and happy he always seemed to be. At least, when it came to being around other people. He felt like a proper dick now, with what all Harry was currently going through. Louis had had his share of shitty boyfriends and shitty hookups and it just sucked. It sucked that Harry was going through this. It sucked that someone he’d seen himself falling for only saw him as someone to bed. And it sucked that the piece of shit had the nerve to take the tickets and roses and basically send Harry on his way. Louis felt more livid the more he thought about it. There were so many times that Harry had annoyed him or pissed him off. There were countless times where Louis had said something in anger to him or ignored him completely. But the thought that someone would do something like this to Harry, who as far as Louis knew, would never dream of doing something similar to anyone else, ate away at Louis. 

Harry had been so excited last Friday night. He’d entered into a contest to win the tickets. He hadn’t just bought them. It was kind of last minute, and the radio station had been doing a contest to give them away. Harry had had to stand outside in the cold for longer than any of the other participants in order to be able to win the tickets. He’d stood outside in the cold for _nine hours_ for those tickets. He’d come in late to the bar, with a red nose and chapped lips and he was shivering like crazy and Liam had bundled him in a hug as he’d excitedly told them all his plans to surprise Nathan. The more Louis thought about it, the more he wanted to punch Nathan. 

“Hey,” Harry’s voice pulled Louis out of his thoughts. He felt Harry’s cold finger run along the back of his knuckles and he tried not to jerk his hand away, “You’re gripping the wheel so hard your knuckles look like tiny little ghosts. What’s on your mind, Lou?”

_Lou_. It was a rare nickname that Harry only ever used when there was a lull in their fighting, a calmness that they both knew wouldn’t last. ‘ _Lou, want me to grab you another beer?_ ’ or ‘ _Oh, hey Lou, do you mind grabbing me another beer?_ ’ Louis realized most of their interactions were reserved to drinking and hanging out with the rest of the boys. They’d never actually just talked just the two of them. Even though when they’d fight, the rest of the world all seemed to fade away in favor of getting in each other’s faces and at each other’s throats.

“Just….how badly I want to punch Nathan in the jaw right now.”

“Why?” Harry blinked again. Louis thought he very much resembled an owl.

“What do you mean why? You just got done telling me all about the hateful things he said to you tonight. And you waited in the cold for those fucking tickets just for him to take them to take another boy. It just….it fucking sucks. He’s an asshole and I want to punch him.”

“Never pictured you to be one to want to defend my honor,” Harry mused with his chin on his knee.

‘ _What honor?_ ’ Louis wanted to say, jokingly of course, but thought better of it given the things Nathan had said to Harry earlier that night. Instead, he went with, “Shut up.” Because that was so much better. Louis gripped the wheel tightly again, wishing traffic would hurry the fuck up because being in such a closed quarters as a car alone with Harry Styles felt suffocatingly difficult. 

“Mmm,” Harry sighed, but didn’t push it. Louis said a mental ‘thank you’ as the traffic light turned and the cars began to move again.

He turned into the parking lot of the grocery store. It was just after seven and the parking lot was packed with people here to buy last minute gifts. Louis found a spot towards the back of the lot and parked. 

“It’s sad, really,” Harry said as they headed into the store, “All these people here to quickly buy gifts before tomorrow. I am a sucker for a box of candy and a teddy, but how meaningful can these gifts be if you’re just here to grab them to avoid a fight tomorrow? Not much thought behind them.”

“You just said you were a sucker for a box of candy and a bear,” Louis pointed out, flatly as they made their way towards the Valentine’s section.

“Well yes, if there’s _thought_ behind it. I love kitschy stuff like that, so if someone got me those things with that in mind, that’s different than someone just running in on their way home from work to grab something for the Missus or Mister to avoid a fight or something. There’s a thoughtlessness to it. Look,” Harry nodded to a man who grabbed a stuffed animal from a bin without even looking at it before heading towards the checkouts. “See my point?”

“I guess I do,” Louis followed Harry over to the candy, “You’d rather have someone get you a bear because you _like_ teddy bears and get you a whole multitude of those nasty candy hearts because you _like_ them for some stupid reason, as opposed to just grabbing something random with no thought behind it.”

“Exactly. Hey, you remember that I like those candy hearts?”

“You’re literally wearing a t-shirt with them printed all over it,” Louis pinched the fabric of Harry’s sleeve, making him smile a bit, “Don’t go thinking I actually pay attention to the asinine things you say, Styles.” 

“You also remembered that I waited out in the cold to win those Sonic Center tickets,” Harry grabbed a ridiculously huge heart-shaped box of chocolates.

“Only because you’d just come back from standing out in the cold to win those Sonic Center tickets and proceeded to cough and sneeze all over our table and the beers. It was disgusting.”

“You better watch your mother, Lou. I’ve been feeling extra snotty from all the crying earlier.”

Louis shook his head, fighting the stupid urge to smile right then, “Like I said,” he said, “Disgusting.”

Harry laughed, tossing a few more items into the cart. Once they’d finished at the candy section, successfully filling their cart with boxes of chocolates, they made their way towards the stuffed animals. 

“I’d consider getting one to like….mess with to leave at his doorstep. But I wouldn’t want to harm any of them in any way,” Harry muttered, lifting a small dinosaur out of the bin. He was pastel green and he had sparkly scales and was holding on to a pink heart that said in purple glittery letters I RAWR YOU. It looked ridiculous. Harry gave it a hug.

“Well, you have to get him now,” Louis said. Harry looked confused, so Louis continued, reasoning, “You’ve given him a hug. He thinks you’ve adopted him now. We have to take him now.”

Harry beamed. Positively _beamed_. Dimple out and everything. Louis’ heart felt a million things he didn’t feel like trying to navigate in that moment.

“Really?” Harry asked, giving the dino a squeeze again.

“Absolutely. He probably has imprinted on you. Thinks your its mom or something. We have to take it now.”

“And we won’t mess with it for Nathan’s Valentine’s bouquet?”

“Absolutely not. We’ll stick him someplace safe to supervise our bouquet making.”

Harry kissed the dinosaur’s head. Louis headed towards the plastic flowers, needing to get away for a moment. Harry was always just so….overwhelming. Louis blamed Harry’s heartache for the fact that he was indulging him so much. If this were any other time then…..well, Louis wasn’t sure. He’d told himself he was only going through these lengths because Niall wasn’t here. But in all honesty, even if Niall was here, Louis would want to do something to help. Harry was annoying and could be a bit of a prat and a prick when he wanted to be, but Louis realized in seeing him hurt, that he never wanted him to be hurt ever again. Harry just had this way about him. Louis always thought it was so ridiculous how the rest of their friends were all wrapped around Harry’s little finger. They always indulged him in every little thing. Louis never did though. He always thought it was so stupid that everyone always catered to Harry. He was the spoiled baby of the group through no one else’s fault but their own and Louis wasn’t going to take part in it. But standing here in the Valentine’s aisle as Harry was rifling through the plastic packages of helium balloons, with his dinosaur tucked under his arm, Louis realized he was doing just that. And he didn’t even really mind. 

This is how it starts, Louis told himself. He worms his way and before you know it, he’s got you wrapped around his finger too. 

Louis wondered if that was a fate he’d actually mind.

They paid out for their items, getting weird looks from the check-out at the enormous amount of Valentine’s items.

“Would you like this in a bag sir?” She asked, holding up the dinosaur.

“I’ll take him,” Harry said, grabbing for his dino and hugging it to his chest again.

“You name that thing yet?” Louis asked as they headed to the car.

“Not yet. You name him.”

“Me? Why me?”

“Because you were the one who suggested we get him. What’s his name, Lou? And make it a good one, okay?”

Louis was dealing with an actual five year old. 

“I um….I’m not really good at that sort of thing.”

“Sure you are. You’ve got all those little siblings. You’re great at this sort of thing. What’s his name?”

“What do you know about all those little siblings?” Louis asked; it came out sounding more accusatory than Louis had intended.

“You might not pay attention to what asinine things I say, but I pay attention to the things you say. Not that you talking about your siblings is asinine. That was….a bad joke. I’m sorry. I just meant, I hear you when you speak, Lou. I know you’re great with kids and you have a lot of patience and thank you for being so patient with me tonight. There, my rambling bought you some time. Now then, what’s his name?”

Louis was startled and let out a laugh, “Well, how about….Lola?” Louis had no idea where that had come from. He was really, genuinely awful at this.

“That’s absolutely awful!” Harry admonished, brandishing the dinosaur like it’s Simba and he’s holding it over Pride Rock, “Lola it is!”

When they arrived back to Niall’s flat, they spread the Valentine’s stuff out on the coffee table. Harry had put Lola on the couch to ‘ _supervise_.’ They began by turning Bake Off back on and tearing into the heart-shaped boxes of candy, biting into each piece once and depositing the remains back in their little plastic beds. After they’d finished having a bite of each piece, Harry carefully wrapped the red cellophane back around the heart and taped it into place before they moved onto cutting the tops off the plastic roses. Harry looked so serious with his little pair of scissors, scowling at each plastic rose as if they were the things that had wronged him tonight. His brow was furrowed and Louis was quite sure it’d stick that way unless he intervened. Which is how Harry ended up being lobbed in the forehead with a plastic rose petals until he started fighting back and whipping the plastic stems at Louis. 

By the end of it all, there were plastic petals and stems all over Niall’s carpet, and they were both giggling. Harry’s eyes wet again, but Louis took pride in knowing it was from Louis making him laugh as compared to their broken hearted tears earlier. The last step was the balloons. They’d taken Sharpies and had written various messages such as _FUCK U_ and _LOSER_ and _U SUCK_ on each one. Finally, everything was done. They sat back on their knees and surveyed the mess they’d made. 

“It’s only nine,” Louis said, “The concert should still be going on and we’ll have time to drop this at Nathan’s before he gets back and….”

“I don’t want to take this to Nathan’s,” Harry said suddenly.

“What do you mean? That was the whole plan. That was why we were doing all this!” Louis couldn’t believe he’d just wasted a whole night on a stupid prank that Harry was going to get cold feet over. 

“No, we were doing all this to make me feel better,” Harry said, and his words hit Louis like a slap in the face because of course. “And I do. And I don’t want to waste any more time on Nathan. I don’t want to prank him and leave a silly bouquet of Valentine’s stuff on his doorstep. I just….don’t want to waste any more time or thought on him. The plan was to make me feel better and to take my mind off being so miserable. And you did that, Lou. You made me smile. Hell, you even made me laugh tonight. So thank you for that. Because of that, I don’t need to take this stuff to Nathan. It’s not going to fix anything. It’s not going to make me feel better. You did that.”

Louis was at a complete loss for words, which was another reason Harry annoyed him as much as he did. Louis always found himself being tongue-tied and unfocused, two things he rarely was whenever Harry wasn’t around. Harry always had a way of barging in and turning them on their head. Like just now. Of course tonight wasn’t about getting back at Nathan. Tonight was about making Harry feel better. Louis had wanted to make him feel better; he just didn’t know what to do with the fact that he had. Or why he even wanted to so badly as he had to begin with. 

“So,” Harry pushed himself up off the carpet and rocked back on his feet, “Now what?”

Louis really didn’t know. So he said the first thought to pop into his head, “Now what? Now we sit on the couch and stuff our faces with all this candy we bought and watch Bake Off. That’s what.”

Louis grabbed some of the blankets out of the cedar chest Niall kept to the corner of the living room, tucking them both up under the soft cotton of the blankets, with piles of Valentines candy on the empty cushion between them. They watched Bake Off, nibbling on way too much sugar and tossing candy wrappers at one another. And Louis couldn’t help but wonder why it’d taken them until tonight to get to this point. There’d been a moment, a single night when they’d first met, where things had almost felt like this. It was before the fighting and before the tension. They’d all gone out to see a movie together. Louis had gotten cold, as he always tended to do, and Harry had given him his jacket to borrow. They’d sat beside each other during the movie and let their fingertips brush along each other’s hands. The next weekend when they’d all gotten together, Louis had returned the jacket. As the conversations carried on, Louis made an attempt at banter. Harry had fired something back. And something had lapped inside of him, and fighting and spatting just became second nature to them. To the point that they couldn’t be in the same room without being at one another’s throats over any little thing and everything. It was enough to drive the other boys crazy. Niall had begged Louis to make more of an effort. Louis was certain Harry had gotten the same lectures from Liam. It never worked though, and they always defaulted back to fighting.

Fighting, which Louis was beginning to realize as Harry tossed a Hershey’s Kiss at his head, wasn’t really fighting at all. Not truly. Thinking back on it, there were never harsh words exchanged that weren’t said playfully or sarcastically. There was never a fight where they both weren’t fighting back a smile or laugh in some way. They fought because it was fun to fight, it was fun to argue. And Louis realized then that maybe he too had been indulging Harry this entire time. Because if each fight made something lap at the inside of Harry’s stomach like it did for Louis, then Louis was definitely indulging him each and every fight. Each and every spat.

Louis let out an affronted gasp and tossed a whole handful of Kisses at Harry, making Kisses shower down upon him. Louis couldn’t help but ponder the weight and words of his thought for a moment. Harry reached for the Conversation Hearts. Louis knew his favorite Valentine’s candy. He knew his favorite cookies from the grocery store. He knew the way he had to mess with the radio to find a certain song. He knew the way he’d spent hours in the cold and snow to win tickets for a boy who’d never love him back. Harry wasn’t a closed book to Louis. Quite the opposite actually. 

“Dork,” Louis said, because he could.

“Arsehole,” Harry said back, because he could.

Louis slid a peanut butter cup Harry’s way and curled up tighter in his blanket. 

Two hours of Bake Off later, and far too much sugar, Harry stifled a yawn behind his hand.

“Do you um….want to rest?” Louis asked, “I know today has been a lot for you, H. You can stay here you know. I can take the couch and you can have the bed if you’d like. I know going back to an empty flat after a breakup can be a bit rough. So feel free to stay here. Really.”

“Thanks,” the dimple appeared in Harry’s cheek, “That means a lot to me, Lou. I’m sleepy, but I don’t think I could sleep even if I wanted. Not right now, anyway. Unless….are you tired? Or do you want to stay up for a bit more with me?”

“I can stay up with you for as long as you want me to,” Louis said honestly. “Do you want to keep watching Bake Off, or you can pick out a movie for us. Or if you want to just talk that’s fine to. Tonight’s for you, okay?”

“Thank you,” the dimple deepend and Harry’s gaze lowered as he picked at a thread on his blanket, a soft pink blush spreading across his cheeks. “I know I said I don’t want to waste any more time or thought on Nathan, but it’s hard. I just….I feel like I need to talk about it. If that’s okay?”

“More than. I’ve had my share of bad breakups, H. I get it, okay? And whatever you need, I’m here.”

“Thank you. I keep saying that, but I genuinely mean it. Thank you. I just….I am so angry and so hurt. I feel so mad at myself too. Like I should have seen this coming, you know. I should have seen it from a mile away. It was always just all about sex with him. I just let myself think I was something more. I was just a good lay to him. And I let that be all that I was to him. I knew he was using me in the bedroom. I just wanted to make him happy. I wanted to….I wanted to just please him and make him pleased with me. I let him do whatever he wanted, no questions asked. Why? Why did I let him do that to me? Why did I let those things be done to me?”

“Hey,” Louis reached out and gave Harry’s knee a squeeze, “Don’t think like that, okay? None of this is your fault, okay? He took advantage of you. He is the one to blame in this, Harry. Not you. Not at all. And no matter what, don’t look down on yourself about this. You did nothing wrong. There’s no need to feel like you did. There’s nothing wrong with you, or with anything you did. You wanted to be loved. And you tried to make him love you. He’s the one who is at fault and the one who should feel guilt. Not you, okay?”

“Thank you, Lou. I just feel so….icky. Like I lost myself in him and I don’t know how to get back from that.”

“You didn’t lose yourself, Harry,” Louis reached up to tuck a stray curl back from Harry’s face, “You’re right here. You’re still you. You’ve been cuddling with Lola all night. You threw flower stems and candy at me. You obnoxiously changed my radio station. You’re still you - obnoxious, lovely you. Nathan didn’t take anything from you that you can’t bring back to yourself, okay?” 

“Can….can you put on a movie?” Harry asked, wiping at his eye with a knuckle, “And maybe….if this isn’t totally strange and overstepping, maybe we could just…..cuddle a bit? I think I need to be held right now. Niall would, but Niall’s gone and I understand if you don’t want to cuddle me. I know we don’t have the best track record as far as friendship goes, but if you could, it’d very much mean a lot to me right now.”

Louis unwrapped himself from his blanket, extending it out to Harry to tuck up under his arm. Harry folded himself against Louis, tucking against his arm and pulling his legs up to fit on the rest of the couch. Louis gently tucked the blanket back around the both of them, bringing his arm down to hold Harry against him. It wasn’t even a question in his mind. You fit perfectly there, Louis wanted to say. Instead, he reached for the remote for the Roku device, passing it on to Harry.

“Niall’s got Netflix and Hulu and Amazon Prime too. Pick whatever you’d like, darling.”

The dimple appeared again, as did the blush. Harry scrolled through Niall’s libraries, tucking a bit closer to Louis. Louis vowed that for the rest of tonight and for the rest of forever, Louis would be soft to Harry, give him whatever softness he needed. And if Harry needed playful again and spatting, he could give him that too. Hell, he’d give him the moon on a string if he thought it’d make that dimple and that blush appear for the rest of forever. 

Harry settled on The Office, Season One, Episode One. Louis wondered how many times Harry had seen The Office in its entirety, especially as he started quoting Michael’s speech about firing Pam. 

“I’ve seen it six times,” Harry said as if reading Louis’ mind, “It’s my comfort show.”

Louis found that beyond endearing, “Mine is Bake Off. But I haven’t seen it six times.”

Harry laughed, “I love how Jim puts Michael’s stupid mug in the jello for what he did to Pam. He was a jerk in this episode. This episode never feels like the rest of the show. It’s like they didn’t know what they were trying to do just yet with it. They hadn’t gotten the characters quite down. Michael would never hurt Pam like that in later episodes. I don’t like this episode.”

“Then why are we watching it, silly?” 

“Because Jim puts his mug in the jello.”

And that was enough of an answer for Louis.

“I sometimes feel like we’re like Dwight and Jim,” Harry said absently during the fourth episode.

“But Jim wouldn’t put Michael’s mug in jello for messing with Dwight.”

“But you’d put his mug in jello for messing with me?”

“Darling, I’d smash that mug with a stapler if he messed with you,” Louis said, giving Harry a gentle squeeze. Harry hummed happily and turned his attention back to the TV. 

Harry had always been so tactile with their other friends, sitting in laps and practically begging to be patted and poked and spoiled. Louis took the risk and traced mindless little shapes on Harry’s shoulder. Harry hummed contentedly, and Louis continued tracing the little hearts on Harry’s sleeve. There was a quietness and a stillness that came in being alone with Harry. It was as if everything else could just fall away and they could just be. There was no fighting in this moment, no spatting or arguing. 

“When we fight, I sometimes pick fights with you because it’s fun. No one else can banter with me like you can. No one else gives it back to me like you. I fight you because it’s fun to fight you. But this? I like this with you too.” Harry had an almost uncanny way of reading Louis’ mind. 

Louis traced a heart further down, just to make him shiver. “Me too, Harry. Fighting with you is a rush. I like that rush. I like that rush a lot. But I don’t think we’ve ever just stopped or a moment though and just enjoyed the other things too. It’s nice, getting to know these parts of you.”

They continued to watch The Office until they were both yawning, unable to hold back anymore. Louis paused the TV and brushed Harry’s curls back from his face. “Bedtime, darling,” he said, “And I’m not taking no for an answer. You’re exhausted - physically, mentally, emotionally. You need some rest. The rest of the healing can come tomorrow. But you need your sleep, pup.”

“I’m not even going to argue with you on that,” Harry smiled as another yawn took over. “You can take the bed, I’ll be fine out here. I just need a pillow and I’m good.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, no worries.”

“Okay. You can have the bathroom first if you need, and I’ll find you an extra pillow.”

Louis helped pull Harry up off the couch and went in search for a spare pillow as soon as he heard Niall’s shower click on. He realized then that Harry didn’t have a spare change of clothes. He quickly raided Niall’s dresser for various items they’d each left here during late nights and sleep overs. He found a hoddie he was pretty sure was his at one point, but he was also certain he’d stoken it from Liam to begin with. It looked worn and baggy and so soft and comfy that it’d be perfect. Louis also found a pair of joggers that looked right and went in search for an extra pillow. He found one in the bedroom closet on a shelf and made a little bed for Harry on the couch, tucking in some of the blankets to make it soft and then laying a top layer of blankets on top. When the water clicked off, Louis gathered up the clothes and knocked on the bathroom door.

“Hey, pup,” he didn’t know where that nickname had come from, but apparently it was here to stay, “I found you some comfy clothes you can wear to bed.”

“Oh thank you!” Harry answered the door with the towel wrapped around his waist, “I was beginning to worry about that. Thank you, Lou. You’ve been so thoughtful all day.”

“Yeah well, what are friends for,” Louis smiled, something catching in his chest as he said it.

“Right. Well, thank you. I’m gonna finish up in here and head to bed, I think. See you in the morning?”

“Of course. Niall’s got some pancake mix and syrup, so if you get lucky, you may even wake up to a homemade breakfast.”

Harry beamed, “Good night, Lou.”

“If you need anything, just knock on my door,” Louis said before heading off back down the hall to Niall’s bedroom. He shut the door behind him and let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. Harry had always overwhelmed him, one of the many reasons Louis had always found him so annoying. It was still annoying, if not more so.

Louis changed into his sleep clothes and tucked himself up in Niall’s too-comfy bed. He flicked around on his phone for a bit, ending up on Instagram and scrolling through the photos he had of them all. Harry and Liam had joined their friend group when Niall had met Liam in a Literature class. Harry had been Liam’s roommate their first year and the two were pretty much attached at the hip, even when Harry moved out and got his own place off campus. They’d originally all started hanging out on campus, but after graduation and getting places of their own, it was difficult to meet up as often as they used to. They’d made it a deal to meet up once a week - if not on Friday, on Saturday - to grab drinks and just hang out. Niall’s flat was the hub for video game nights and pizza and movies. 

The pictures on Instagram were of the four of them hanging out either at the bar or Niall’s or sometimes Liam’s. There were pictures of beer pong and intense games of Monopoly and Scrabble. Harry always got so competitive during board games. Louis too. They’d been banned from board game night for almost two months because Harry had thrown all of Louis’ hotels at him when he’d placed another down on the board, securing a whole section of little red hotels that Harry just was destined to land on almost every round. In retaliation, Louis had thrown his racecar piece at him. Niall had told them after that, they weren’t allowed to participate anymore, only sit and watch and ‘ _keep score_ ’ or ‘ _be the banker_ ’ until they were finally permitted to play again. They’d been banned from ‘ _being the banker_ ’ when Louis decided it’d be a good idea to shove Monopoly money down the back of Harry’s shirt. 

As he scrolled through the pictures, four consistently smiling faces stared back at him. Even in the pictures where Harry and Louis were caught in the background, having it out like the world was ending, there were traces of smiles on their faces. Harry was very good at making himself fit, even when he didn’t. He had wormed his way into Louis’ life, and had somehow made himself fit there. Louis knew now he never wanted him to leave.   

And Harry was always so sweet and so kind to everyone, even on his bad days he always made an effort to show kindness towards others. And tonight, someone had the gall to break his heart. Louis was still very much livid about that fact, and he still very much wanted to punch Nathan in the jaw. But he knew he couldn’t do that. What he could do though, was be there for Harry. Nathan had taken and taken and had drained Harry of so much. Louis decided then and there, having landed on a particular picture he found himself being quite fond towards - a picture of Harry in Liam’s lap; he’s messing with Liam and Liam is tickling him and he’s got this big giggly grin, dimples on full display - that he’d give Harry everything. Whatever Harry Styles needed from him, Louis would do his best to give. If Harry needed cuddles and to be called pet names, then Louis could do that. If he needed to fight and banter and burn off pent up energy, Louis could do that too. Louis would give him the world.

When Louis awoke the next morning, it was to the smell of bacon. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stumbled, still half-asleep, out to the kitchen to find Harry standing at the stove, frying some bacon in a skillet with some eggs. There was a plate of steaming pancakes on the dining table. Something smelled faintly of cinnamon.

“Harry….” Louis took it all in, still in awe, “What is all this? I told you I’d make you breakfast.”

“Yeah, well. You had last night to do for me. Now is my turn. I’m making us breakfast and you’re going to set the table and enjoy said breakfast. Okay?” The dimple popped in his cheek.

“Bossy,” Louis rolled his eyes, smiling as he slipped around Harry to grab two plates from the cabinet beside him. “Did you put cinnamon in the pancakes?”

“You like cinnamon,” Harry said by means of an answer.

Louis smiled and set the table. Once the eggs and bacon were done, Harry joined him, sitting across from him. They nibbled at their plates and Louis asked Harry how he slept. Harry told him he was out like a light, and ended up waking up earlier than he thought, feeling much, much better about everything. 

“It’s like I just needed to reset a bit. You did that for me, Lou. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, H. I’m glad you’re doing better.”

“Was a bit worried though about this morning.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, I just wasn’t sure what it’d be between us. If….maybe the spell would break and you’d tell me to get out or something,” he said shyly. Louis was horrified.

“You know I’d never do that. Harry, please tell me you know I wouldn’t….”

“I know,” Harry said assuredly, “I do. But everything with you still feels so….uncharted. I know how to be friends with Niall and Liam. I don’t really know how to be friends with you. Or friends that doesn’t mean just constantly fighting. Even if it is is in fun. Being around you and not picking a fight feels very uncharted. You, Louis Tomlinson, are a sea I haven’t quite figured out how to navigate yet.”

“Maybe….” Louis paused for a moment to chew his pancake, and take a minute to choose his words as carefully as he could. He didn’t want to push anything or do anything that would compromise anything. This was all uncharted to him as well. “Maybe we aren’t supposed to be friends like with Niall and Liam. Maybe what we have is just different, and that’s okay. Let’s just do whatever feels right, and feels natural. If we overthink this and try to muddle it up, it’ll just make a mess of things. We are just….us. It may not make sense, but I don’t think it has to.”

Harry beamed, nodding in agreement. He took a sip of orange juice and Louis speared a strip of bacon with his fork.

“Never had anyone make me breakfast on Valentine’s Day before.”

“Is that what today is?” Harry mused, taking another sip of orange juice, “I didn’t recall.”

Louis giggled.

“Valentine’s is a silly holiday.”

“Only if you don’t have someone to spend it with,” Louis said thoughtfully.

A gray ball of fluff flashed before landing right in the middle of the table. “Oi!” 

“Duff!” Harry cried, grabbing for the gray fuzzball, “Oh, Duff! I am so happy you finally came to say hello!” He nuzzled into the cat’s fur as Duff purred spectacularly.

“Holy shit,” Louis marveled, “I didn’t think he’d ever come out. I think you charmed him.”

“I charm everyone,” Harry said simply, pressing kisses to the cat’s nose.

Louis rolled his eyes, “Please.”

“I charmed you,” Harry said, grinning smugly.

“You’re about to charm this orange juice over your head is what you’re about to do,” Louis threatened, standing from the table to carry his plate to the sink as Harry cooed at Duff. 

“He does talk some shit, doesn’t he, Duff?” Harry cooed before screaming, “LOUIS!”

“How was your shower, pet?” Louis smiled innocently as Harry came out of the bathroom, writing his hair into a towel. 

“Fuck you,” Harry snapped the towel at Louis’ bum, “I still can’t believe you did that.”

“Only did it because you didn’t think I would,” Louis hopped out of the way from the towel snapping him again. He grabbed his shoes from beside the door, “Harry! Hurry up! Get dressed. Our day awaits.”

“Our day?” Harry eyed him suspiciously, “And what exactly is in store for our day, Louis?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“If I end up with juice on my head again…..”

Louis giggled, slipping his feet into his Toms as Harry headed back towards the bathroom to finish getting ready, “I make no promises!” 

Louis had spent the time Harry was in the shower planning a day for them. He’d gone online to look up Valentine’s Day activities to do in the city, and had come up with quite an extensive list. One thing in particular had caught his eye; the zoo was having a Valentine’s special; half off tickets and special Valentine’s treats for the animals. That sounded right up Harry’s ally - and Louis’ as well. He pre-purchased the tickets as the shower had clicked off. 

As soon as Harry realized where they were going, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Lou, you did not just bring me to the zoo! Oh my gosh!” Harry practically jumped from the car to hurry up to the que. 

“I mean, if you don’t want to be here, we could always leave,” Louis teased as they waited in line, his fingers digging below Harry’s ribs to make him giggle. 

“Stop,” Harry giggled, batting Louis’ hands away in a sad attempt, the blush working its way back on his cheeks, “Lou!” he whined. 

“Okay, okay,” Louis rolled his eyes, “Ruin my fun. I see how it is.”

“Yeah, sure. Your fun of making me giggle and squeal and cause a scene in public because you can’t keep your hands to yourself.”

“My hands can make you squeal, is that what your saying?” Louis raised a brow, “Harold, there are children present!”

“Fuck you.”

“Harold,” Louis scolded, digging his phone from his pocket and pulling up the tickets confirmation, without even looking up at Harry or batting an eye, he said, “If you can’t manage to behave yourself we’ll go home and I’ll spank you.”

Harry’s mouth closed instantly, the blush on his cheeks no longer just pink. Louis giggled. 

The first animals that Harry wanted to see where the Orangutans, for whatever reason Louis did not understand. He was quite certain there was no more hideous creature in the whole zoo, but Harry was determined, and who was Louis to deny him anything at this point? He was already to far gone, letting Harry grab at his hand and drag him off towards the primates. They’d been given special fliers with their tickets as to what animals would have special feedings and when. The Orangutans had already had their feeding, but Harry was still excited to see the hideous globs of orange. Louis let himself be pulled to their enclosure. 

“Look!” Harry pointed.

There, at the far right of the grassy hill, was a tiny little baby, licking a bright pink ice block that had been dyed with beet juice and filled with various veggies. Louis just blinked.

“Oh, my _god_.”

“You’ve never seen anything cuter, have you?” Harry nudged his elbow into Louis’ side.

“I have,” Louis glanced at Harry before glancing back towards the baby, “But he sure makes a close second. Maybe even first, on days when you’re annoying the hell out of me.”

“Heeeey.”

Louis just wrapped his arm around him and gave him a squeeze. They stood at the front of the enclosure, watching the baby work at his ice block. “How does something so precious grow up to turn into….. _that_ ,” Louis pointed to one of the adult Orangutans, sitting on it’s wooden jungle gym.

Harry smacked him, “Don’t be rude. All god’s creatures are beautiful in their own way.”

“Right. Alright, I saw your Orangutans. Now, let’s go see my Lemurs. Their treats are mini strawberry tartlets. That are safe for their diets, of course.”

“Of course.”

Louis took Harry’s hand in his and together they made their way towards the Lemurs. Three hours later, they’d seen every single animal in the zoo, even the reptile exhibit. That’d been way more fun than Louis had expected, going up to each glass case and pointing at various strange looking reptiles and amphibians and saying, “it you” to each other to make each other giggle. They headed back to the car, Harry nibbling the cotton candy Louis had bought for him.

“Thank you for this, Lou. This was the most fun I think I have ever had on Valentine’s Day.”

“Of course, pet. Anything for you,” Louis said genuinely. It made Harry blush again.

“You’re being too good to me.”

“I can always stop,” Louis grinned, pulling the car back onto the main street.

“Please don’t.”

“Okay.”

“Where to now? Or is our day over?”

“Far from, actually. The restaurant Liam works at is giving away free tiaramisu to couples. Wanna make a quick stop and fuck with him for a bit?”

“Oh, happily!”

When they arrived at Cafe Andre, they requested to be sat in Liam Payne’s section. The hostess took them to their table and lit a heart shaped candle on the table. There was a pale pink vase with a single pink carnation inside. 

Harry touched the petals, “Too bad it’s not green,” he said. Louis fell in love.

“Liam will be right with you,” the hostess said, dismissing herself back to her post.

“So, how are we doing this,” Harry whispered, leaning across the table as if discussing a top secret, covert mission. 

“Just keep being us, like we’ve been thus far. He doesn’t know we’ve moved on from trying to throttle each other twenty-four seven to only trying to throttle each other twenty- _three_ seven.”

Harry giggled, “Sounds good. Ooh! Here he comes.” Harry scooted back to a normal position in his seat and Louis reached across the table to grasp his hand.

“Oh no,” Liam said, shaking his head as neared, “No, no, no. I refuse.”

“You can’t refuse us service, Leemo,” Louis grinned, “We’re here for the Valentine’s Special.”

“No you’re not.”

“Yes we are,” Harry grinned, nodding happily, “And if we say we are, who are you to disagree? Do you treat all your customers with such…..accusations? Suspicion? We are just wo patrons here to enjoy a coffee and an on-the-house tiaramisu in celebration of this day of love.”

“Did one of you lose a bet? Harry, blink twice if you’re being held against your will.”

“Oh my god,” Louis deadpanned, “Liam, stop it.”

“What? The last time I saw you both in the same room was last Friday and Louis stormed off.”

“Oh,” Louis sunk lower into his seat. He’d forgotten that little tidbit.

“That’s right,” Harry said lowly, apparently he’d forgotten too. It hadn’t been one of Louis’ more shining moments.

Harry had arrived to the bar late because of the contest for his Sonic Center tickets. When he’d arrived he looked worse for wear, coughing and sneezing everywhere. He was so excited about his plans to spend Valentine’s with Nathan, and Louis was annoyed. Annoyed with the plans, annoyed with Harry’s excitement, annoyed with the sneezing. Harry was almost out of breath from the cold and from talking at such a fast pace about how he couldn’t wait to spend Valentines with Nathan and how certain he was Nathan was going to love his present. Louis grew more and more annoyed with every mention of the guy that finally he’d let it all bubble to the surface when he’d shouted, “ _My god, do you_ ever _just shut the fuck up?_ ” That hadn’t been one of their playful, teasing banters. It’d been cruel and harsh and Harry’s cheeks turned red and he’d turned away from Louis to continue his conversation in a cool, clipped tone. And Louis had pushed away from the table and had left. 

That was the last they’d seen or spoken to each other until Harry had shown up on Niall’s doorstep last night. Louis felt sick at the memory. He wanted to get on his knees and apologize for being such an ass, but that would be a bit silly. And Liam was still hovering. 

“I….”

“We need a moment to look over the menu, please Liam. Thank you.” Harry dismissed Liam as calmly and as politely as he could. Once Liam was gone, he pulled his hand from Louis’ and Louis wanted to cry out and grab it back. This could not be happening. Not when things had been going so well.

“I forgot about last Friday. I was so happy about the tickets and surprising Nathan, I totally forgot about what a complete jerk you were to me that night.”

“Yeah well, nothing new there.” Louis hated that about himself. Once he got on a roll, there was no going back. He was on a roll now. 

“What are you talking about?”

“You have a one-track brain, Styles, that’s what I’m saying. Once you got hung up on Nathan, that was it. I’m just not surprised you’d be so caught up in your present for Nathan to have even paid me any mind.”

“I _always_ have paid you mind, Louis. You _know_ that,” Harry hissed, his voice low to keep their cool around the other patrons, “What you said to me and the way you lashed out was unacceptable. Even by our standards.” He was right. 

“Forgive me for not wanting to listen to you gush about Nathan all night long. So I left. Who cares. You didn’t.”

Harry visibly winced, “Alright. No. We aren’t going to do this. I cared, Lou. I did. I was upset you left. I even wanted to go after you, but I knew you wouldn’t like that. So I just let you go. I’m sorry I got so caught up in Nathan. I was blinded by him. I was nothing to him but he’d made himself my whole world. He’d manipulated me into giving so much of myself to him. I didn’t see it then, but I see it now. My question is, why did it bother you so much.”

“Excuse me.”

“You heard me. Why did my talking about Nathan bother you so much? If you didn’t care.”

“Can we not do this right now? Jesus.”

Harry’s frown deepened and lowered his gaze to play with the edges of his cloth napkin. Louis sighed and scrubbed a hand down over his face, wishing they could go back to a few moments ago and have a redo on their part of their day. He’d planned his day for Harry, to help cheer him up and just give him something happy and fun to hold on to. Now Harry looked like he wanted to anywhere but there, and Louis wondered how this could possibly have gone more wrong. Everything with Harry was just so much, nearly too much. He felt everything when he was around him, every single nerve of his body seemed to be on alert whenever Harry was close. Nothing about any of it made any sense and Louis tried to tell himself that it’d just been a day. Not even an entire day. But he knew somewhere inside that things between he and Harry had been different more than just that day. 

“I cared okay?” Louis said, harsher than he’d have liked, “I _cared_. I saw what he was doing to you and I didn’t know how to stop it. You were so deep into whatever it was, and I knew if I tried to say anything, it’d probably blow up in my face. But it bothered me. It bothered me that you always talked about him, but he never made an effort to meet any of us. It bothered me that everything was on his terms and never yours. It bothered me how he’d call you and yell at you so loudly we could all hear it. It bothered me and I couldn’t do a damn thing because I didn’t even think I was a speck on your radar. I was someone you couldn’t stand more than half the time so what would me saying anything change? I had Liam talk to you several times about it because I figured you’d at least listen to him. But you didn’t. You always told him you could handle yourself. Maybe it’d have meant more and maybe you’d have actually listened if I did come to you myself. But I just didn’t know how. And I am sorry for that. I should have done more. As your friend, I should have done more.”

“You sent Liam to talk to me? Those nights that he’d come over and try to tell me to get out of it….that was because of you?”

“Well, we were all worried, H. And I am sure he’d have gone to you regardless. But Niall and I did tell him some things to say to you on our behalf. I was worried about you. I cared about you. I still care about you. And Friday, I guess it all just came to a head. I couldn’t listen to it a second longer so I left. Instead of reaching out to you and trying to get through to you, I walked away. I won’t make that same mistake twice, Harry. I promise,” Louis reached for his hand, but Harry still held back.

“I….don’t think Nathan brought the best out of any of us,” Harry smiled feebly, “I’m sorry I was so difficult to get through to.”

“H, again, you don’t have a single thing to apologize or feel badly about. It’s all on Nathan, okay? I’ve been there. I’ve been in the shitty relationships. It’s why I’ve been single for so long this round, waiting for something better because I know I _deserve_ better. _You_ deserve better too. Nothing that he did, or any of the circumstances brought on because of him are on you, do you hear me?”

“Yeah, Lou,” Harry nodded, “I do. Do you um, do you think maybe Liam can box up our dessert to go? I kind of just want to go home now and just chill.”

Oh. Right. Of course. Harry hadn’t been to his home since the breakup. Of course he’d want to go back, put on different clothes, and probably fall into his own bed for the night. That was more than understandable. Louis felt slightly guilty and slightly ashamed. He couldn’t just expect Harry to hang around with him until tomorrow when Niall would return. That was silly. Already, this past - not even  twenty-four hours yet - had been more time spent with Harry than Louis had ever had before. He felt like they’d gotten to be inside this little bubble of just the two of them. He selfishly never wanted for that to come to an end.

“Sure. When Liam gets back over here, I’ll ask him to box it up and I can drive you back to yours.”

“Oh,” Harry blushed, then giggled shaking his head a bit, “I kind of meant back to Niall’s. But if you want to get rid of me, just say the word. I can be a bit of a lot. And probably too clingy for my own good, oh so I’ve been told. It’s just been nice getting to have this time with you. And getting to just sort of be with you without anything else messing with that or taking away from it.”

Louis reached for Harry’s hand again, this time he reached back.

“Have you two decided yet?” Liam asked, appearing out of nowhere.

“I wish I had some orange juice to throw on him right now,” Louis muttered, making Harry honk out a laugh that was way too loud for the intimate setting of the cafe. 

“Excuse me?” Liam took a step back, “What is the matter with you?”

Harry was still giggling.

“I think we’ll have two coffees and a piece of the tiramisu, Lima.”

“That’s for couples….”

“My god, Liam,” Harry’s giggles had finally died down and his voice was firm and clear when he said, “What does a guy have to do for some tiramisu, throw the candles and flowers off the table and spread Lou out right here right now?”

Louis choked on his own saliva. Liam looked like he was on the verge of passing out.

“Two coffees and one tiramisu, got it,” he quickly headed towards the kitchen.

“Oh, and could we get that to go please, Leemo?” Louis called after him. Liam nodded, still looking a bit pale. 

“What the hell was _that_?” Louis hissed when Liam was out of earshot.  

“Us getting free tiramisu,” Harry grinned smugly.

“Menace.”

“Hey pot, what color would you call a kettle?”

“Shut up.”

“Make me,” Harry grinned again, leaning back in his seat as smug as ever.

Louis lobbed his napkin at his head.

That evening, back at Niall’s, Louis tucked them up under the blankets again and flicked on The Office to where they’d left off. Louis played with Harry’s curls as he sighed happily, leaning further back against him. Louis couldn’t help but smile, leaning forward to press a kiss against the curls. Harry didn’t protest, didn’t move away. Louis brushed the curls behind his ear and held a little tighter. 

Two episodes of The Office later, Harry was hungry and Louis insisted that because Harry had made breakfast, he’d make them dinner. Harry tried to protest and stand from the couch to help, only to be pushed back down by a very insistent Louis, “Nope, you just lay there and relax, play a game on your phone, this is something I want to do for you.”

Harry rolled his eyes but game up trying to fight. Louis wandered into Niall’s kitchen and began opening up the cabinets to see what, if anything, he could make for them. Other than breakfast items and frozen lasagna, things were pretty sparse, and Louis wasn’t about to make a frozen lasagna - he and Harry both deserved better than that. He pulled open Niall’s ‘junk drawer’ where he kept all the takeaway menus before grabbing them all and unceremoniously dumping them on Harry’s lap.

“Looks like I need your help cooking dinner after all. Pick a place, H. I’m up for anything.”

“Ah, a very skilled chef you are I see,” Harry said, and Louis honestly didn’t know whether or not he was trying to go for a bad Yoda impression or if he was just being Harry, “So many options to pick from of what you can cook. Pizza and wings _and_ Pho _and_ Thai _and_ Chinese _and_ diner food. A very, _very_ skilled chef. I am impressed.”

“Oi, shut up and just pick,” Louis rolled his eyes, plopping down on the couch beside him, “Or I’m gonna pick and I’m going to choose something you hate just to spite you.”

“And what, out of these options, would you pick to spite me?” Harry asked, holding up the paper menus and fanning them out.

“That awful Mexican food place Niall ordered from the one time. The place you got sick from the runny refried beans.”

“You wouldn’t!” Harry gasped, clutching the menus away from Louis.

“You spent all of movie night in the bathroom. I’d have felt bad for you, if you hadn’t torn pieces of tortilla to throw at my head during dinner.”

Harry swatted him with the menus, “ _You_ did that! Not me! I got tortilla thrown at me and stomach problems all in one awful night,” Harry pouted at the memory. 

“Oh poor baby,” Louis giggled, taking the menus from him, “How does Pad Thai sound? That’s always a good comfort food. I say we get an order of Pad Thai and the Birds of Paradise chicken wings to share. Sound good?”

Harry’s stomach growled when he said, “Very!”

Harry got a shower and changed into the comfy clothes Louis had given him the night before while Louis called in their order. He asked for two thai teas as well, remembering how much Harry loved them. He’d drink a dozen if his stomach would allow for it. After the order was placed, Louis changed into his own sleep clothes, ready to settle in and be comfy for the night. He could hear Harry humming in the bathroom and he couldn’t help the smile that worked his way across his face. Whatever this was between them, it felt right having Harry in his life like this. 

Louis was pouring more kibble into Duff’s bowl, who had seemingly returned to hiding out under the bed, when Harry strolled back in the living room, toweling off his hair. 

“Dinner should be here in about an hour,” Louis said, putting the clip back on the bag of cat food, “What do you want to do? Watch more Office? Or Bake Off? Or maybe a movie?” 

“Hmm,” Harry thought it over, “Let’s watch The Office, but put it the volume on low and talk through the entire episode.”

Louis rolled his eyes, doing as Harry said, “You’re ridiculous.” 

“Thank you for today, Lou,” Harry snuggled up on the couch under his blanket, “You were so thoughtful and it means a lot to me that you’d spend your day trying to make me feel better.”

“Of course,” Louis grabbed for his own blanket, “I don’t like seeing you sad, H. You should definitely always be smiling. I refuse anything less than that dimple on your cheek all the time. Besides, Valentine’s is a stupid holiday if you don’t have someone to spend it with.”

Harry blushed, “I’m glad Niall wasn’t here when I came over last night. I’m glad it was you who answered the door.”

“Me too. Not to like, brag or anything, but I don’t think he’d have been quite as fun as I’ve been.”

Harry stared at Louis thoughtfully for a moment, and Louis wondered what was going on behind those green eyes, before Harry said, “No, I don’t think he would have been.”

A few hours later, with tummies full of Pad Thai, chicken wings, and free tiramisu, Harry was yawning and his eyes were drooping, and Louis wasn’t much better. He paused The Office and ran a knuckle over Harry’s cheekbone, “Sleep time,” he said decidedly.

“But I like cuddling with you,” Harry pouted, “Don’t go.”

Louis raked a hand over his face, and the words were out before he could stop them. “Sleep with me.”

Harry blinked.

“I mean, in the bed with me. _Sleep_ _in the bed with me_. All cuddles, no funny business. I promise. Not that the thought of defiling Niall’s bed doesn’t sound somewhat amusing or appealing, but….yeah. No funny business. Strictly cuddles, strictly professional.”

Harry was grinning, amusedly, “Alright. Mr. Professional Cuddles. What are the rules then, of this bed-sharing endeavor?” Harry allowed Louis to pull him from the couch and followed behind him towards Niall’s bedroom, his hand still in his. 

They stopped at the bed, staring down at it together as if this were very serious business. “Hmm,” Louis folded his arms over his chest, “Well, I take one side you take the other. I can sleep on top of the covers and you can sleep beneath them. Or we could get an extra blanket and make like a….a moat. Dividing the sides of the bed. No crossing over.”

“Then how do we cuddle if we can’t cross over?”

“Fair point.”

They crawled into bed together and Louis tossed and turned a bit, trying to figure out the best way to get comfortable. He wanted to cuddle Harry up in his arms but he didn’t want to do anything that’d make him uncomfortable in anyway. He still didn’t know where they stood with one another. They were definitely friends now, they’d crossed over to that last night. But it still felt….different. This was something more. Louis definitely felt something more. He wondered what Harry was thinking, laying there on his back, staring up at the ceiling fan.

“I was promised cuddles.”

“I’m sorry.”

“This is weird, innit?”

“A little, yeah,” Louis’ heart fell. What did Harry mean by weird? Weird as it this was something new and therefore strange, or weird as in his was uncomfortable and wanted this to all stop. Whatever this was. Louis frowned. Apprehensively, he reached up to brush the curls off Harry’s forehead, to tuck them behind his ears.

“Sharing a bed with Liam or Niall is never this weird.”

“We aren’t Liam or Niall though,” Louis reminded him.

“No, we’re Harry and Louis.”

“Louis and Harry.”

“Harry and Louis,” Harry said defensively, “Louis and Harry sounds weird.”

“It does not! Besides, I am oldest. My name goes first.”

“That doesn’t even make any….you know what. H&L sounds better than L&H. Harry and Louis just flows better than Louis and Harry. It’s about the syntax of the thing.”

“Oh don’t go getting all fake-academic,” Louis snorted, “You’ve ‘auto capitalization’ turned off on your phone. You can’t talk about syntax when your texts are all lower case.”

“Capitalization in casual speech looks _weird_ ,” Harry pouted, “Makes it look like everyone’s yelling. Lower case is softer. Nicer.”

“You’re so fucking weird, Styles.”

“And yet you spent all of Valentine’s Day with me, Tomlinson. Funny, that.”

“Shut up,” Louis kicked at him lightly from under the covers, “It’s Louis and Harry because I say so.”

“Oh that is _so_ not….it’s Harry and Louis.”

“Are we arguing about what to refer to ourselves as?” Louis rolled over to face Harry at the same time Harry flopped over to face him. They were pressed so closely together that their noses were practically touching. Louis could smell the toothpaste on Harry’s breath. His own breath hitched slightly. He wondered if there’d ever be a time where Harry Styles wouldn’t completely and utterly overwhelm him. He doubted it.

“We could mash our names together. Like Brangelina.”

“Oh god,” Louis groaned, trying to keep himself from laughing, not wanting to indulge Harry in any of this.

“Halo Tomlinstyles.”

“God,” Louis winced, “That sounds awful.”

“It’s cute!” Harry’s bottom lip jutted out in another pout.   


“You’re cute.”

“Shut up.”

Louis giggled, reaching up to give one of Harry’s curls a gentle pull, “Hey. Today was really fun. You’re really fun.”

Harry blushed, ducking his head slightly, “ _You’re_ really fun, Lou. I know this sounds silly, but I don’t really want this weekend to end. I know it’s dumb, but I keep thinking this is all just….some sort of illusion. And once the weekend is over and things go back to normal, the illusion will break. It’s fun arguing with you, but I don’t think I want to go back to the way we were before. I like us like this.”

“I like us like this too,” Louis admitted, “And I’m scared too. I keep thinking once we both go home, and when we see each other again on Friday for drinks with Liam and Niall, it’ll all fall back to what it was. But I don’t think that it will. I know, at least for me, I can’t get back to what it was. Fighting with you fun, but so many things with you are fun. _Everything_ with you is fun. I used to pick fights with you because there was like this….this flare in my stomach. This heat. Whenever we’d fight, I liked how it made me feel. But after today, I feel that same flare in my stomach even when we aren’t fighting. Even when we’re just sitting on the couch watching Jim prank Dwight for the hundredth time. I just….I don’t have to fight with you to get that feeling. It’s always there now. And I don’t see that changing any time soon.”

“You felt it too?” Harry asked, eyes wide, “Lou, that’s why I would pick fights with you too. I liked the rush fighting with you would give me. But there’s always a rush with you now. Even just laying here in bed facing you, I feel it in my stomach.”

“You sure that’s not just too much tiaramisu?” Louis raised a brow, poking Harry’s tummy.

“Shut up. You know it isn’t,” Harry swatted at his hand, “I know we said earlier to just let whatever happens happen naturally. I thought maybe I wanted to go slow because this is all so new and everything with Nathan. I still want to go slow. I do. I don’t want to rush into anything too crazy just yet. But….god, Louis. I’ve been wanting you to kiss me all day and I’m afraid if I don’t just say that, then I never will.”

“You want me to kiss you?” Louis asked. Harry nodded, wide-eyed and enthusiastic. “Well too bad. Because I’m not gonna,” Louis smirked when Harry let out a whine, “I’m going to save it, and kiss you when you least expect it and when it’ll take your breath away the most. Now stop pouting and acting stropy. The best things are worth a little bit of a wait.” 

Louis wanted to keep Harry on his toes a bit, and he liked the way the blush deepend on Harry’s cheeks more than he could ever say. But he also knew they both needed a bit more time. Louis wanted to wait and see if once the bubble broke, things were still the same, before sealing anything with a kiss. He also wanted to give Harry a bit longer to heal from Nathan. He knew it’d take a long while for that to happen, but waiting a few more days was better than jumping right into something the very next day. He was going to take things as slow or as fast as Harry needed him to, and Harry was going to do the same for him. For the first time, they were on the same page, in sync with one another. There was no pressure, no outside forces. It was just them, figuring it all out together, navigating the uncharted waters - compasses to each other’s ship. Louis never felt more at peace.

The week went by in a bit of a blur. Sunday morning, they’d woken up tangled up in one another’s arms, and Harry had helped Louis to pack up his things and pick up the mess they’d made around Niall’s flat before they’d both left to go their separate ways. They already had each other’s numbers already, but Louis told Harry to take the week to focus on other things in his life, and to focus on getting past some of the fresh soreness of Nathan. Friday would be game night at Niall’s. 

“We’ll take this week and if on Friday when we all get together again, these feelings are still there, we’ll know. Take this week to yourself, H.” 

They’d hugged goodbye and gone their separate ways. Louis had been itching to yank his phone of his pocket and call Harry right away to tell him how much he was already missing him, but he chose better of it. They needed a few days apart to be sure, really sure. Louis didn’t want to influence Harry in any way by breaking their no-contact-til-Friday rule. Friday would be the answer to everything. They’d know for sure then if what they felt was real, or if it was just heartache and mutual loneliness getting the best of them. Louis knew it wasn’t, but he needed Harry to know for sure too. 

All week, all Louis could think about was Friday. He didn’t tell Niall or Liam about any of this, and from the lack of texts streaming in demanding to know what was going on between he and Harry, Louis knew Harry hadn’t told them either. Friday finally came and it was as if the day couldn’t go by quicker. Finally, it was time to get ready to head to Niall’s. Louis changed outfits a dozen times, knowing he was being ridiculous, but still. He settled on black skinny jeans and his favorite maroon top that showed off his collarbones. He shrugged on his leather jacket and grabbed the keys from beside the door. It was now or never.

When he got to Niall’s he could hear laughter inside. Liam and Harry were already there. If Louis hadn’t changed his clothes and spent over twenty minutes trying to figure out his hair, he might have gotten there on time too. He doubted anything serious had started without him, other than a few drinks while they waited. He opened the door to Niall’s flat and hung his jacket by the door.

“Hello,” Louis called into the flat.

“Hey, Lou!” Liam waved him over to the living room. He and Niall were sat on the couch, Harry tucked up on the floor by the coffee table. He glanced up when he saw Louis, and Louis swore he thought his eyes brighten. He didn’t say anything though, just busied himself with picking at the peeling label of his Stella.

“Hiya,” Louis hugged Liam and then Niall before his eyes settled again on Harry. He went over and plopped down on the floor beside him, ruffling his hair a bit in greeting, “Hello to you too, pup.”

Harry’s entire face lit up and a breath Louis didn’t realize he’d been holding finally released.

“Pup?” Niall asked, “That’s new.”

“And weird,” Liam stared at them suspiciously.

“Fuck off,” Louis raised a middle finger, “He loves it, so fuck right off.”

Liam held up his hands in surrender as Harry continued to beam, “Alright, alright. We were thinking we’d start with a game of Monopoly, if you two think you can behave this time around. No throwing game pieces or stuffing money down each other’s clothes. And Louis, no sneakily moving Harry’s game piece when he’s not looking.”

“You do that?”

“Shh, Liam. Don’t give away all my secrets.”

“I can’t believe you do that!” Harry shoved at Louis, “Who even does that? That’s just….straight up cheating.”

“Oh no,” Niall groaned, “We haven’t even started the game yet and you two are already going at it.” 

“Don’t be sore, babe,” Louis tucked a curl behind Harry’s ear, “You won’t be complaining when I’m helping you cheat against these two.”

“Niall! I am not playing with them! Nope. They’re banned. _Again_.”

“Let them play, Liam, or else they’ll just end up getting to some sort of other trouble and do we really want that? No, no we don’t.” Niall got up to fetch the Monopoly game.

“We can work together,” Louis told Harry, “I’ll help you against these two. I mean, you’ll still lose. To me of course. But that’s just inevitable.”

“I don’t care what Liam says,” Harry snatched up the puppy game piece he always claimed, “I will throw this at your head.”

“Niall,” Liam groaned.

“Alright, you two. Try, try, _try_ to behave, would you?”

“Us two?” Louis pointed between he and Harry, “We’re perfect angels, Nialler. I don’t know what you’re off about.”

“Demons more like,” Liam muttered under his breath.

“I heard that!”

The game started out well. Louis was helping Harry cheat and hide away money, but things of course went a bit sour when Louis ended up buying all the properties that Harry had had his eye on. 

“Lou, I swear to god!” Harry groaned, landing on one of Louis’ entire corners he’d bought up.

“Pay up, darling,” Louis held out his hand for the cash, “You know it’s nothing personal, just the way of the game.”

“Right,” Harry eyed him suspiciously. 

Louis ended up winning the game to everyone’s frustration and lack of surprise.

“I’m never playing Monopoly with him again,” Liam groaned.

Louis cackled, tossing his money up in the air as Niall began to put away the board. 

“I’m not sitting by you anymore,” Harry got up to move to the other side of the coffee table, opposite Louis, “Meanie.”

“Oh don’t be a sore loser, H.”

“I wouldn’t be a sore loser if you didn’t always cheat.”

Harry was stroppy, but there was also an undercurrent of something else in his tone. Louis stared at him from across the table, trying to figure his next move. It was easier with Monopoly. 

“You two are impossible,” Liam sighed, helping Niall to put away the game, “I don’t know why we put up with you two. Absolutely insufferable.”

Louis grinned at Harry across the table. Harry grinned back.

“And you’re not even listening to me,” Liam sighed, “I don’t know why I bother. We’re playing Clue next. We’re trying to solve the murder of Mr. Body not either of you, so try to keep the need to throttle each other to a minimum.” 

Louis was Miss Scarlett, because he always was. The game was going better than Monopoly had, but Louis was a bit sore that Harry was still insisting on not sitting beside him. He still caught him staring, but each time he’d catch him, Harry would blush and turn away before Louis could say or do anything. He felt butterflies in his stomach and from the way Harry seemed to be constantly blushing, he figured he was in the same boat. Nothing had changed in the days since Sunday; if anything, it made Louis just want him even more. From the way Harry was staring, Louis knew Harry wanted it too. But tonight was game night. Tonight was about competition and getting under each other’s skin. Still though, Louis wondered if a compromise might be in order. Besides, there were so many more ways to make Harry flush than just picking a fight now. 

“Harry, would you please come over here,” Louis sighed, “I miss you and you’re all the way over there,” Louis sprawled out across the table and the board to make grabby hands at Harry.

“Why, so you can look off my game card?”

“No. Well, maybe. Just get over here please.”

Liam and Niall exchanged a look as Harry sighed and gathered up his game pieces to come sit back beside Louis. “Happy now?” He asked.

“Very,” Louis reached up to ruffle the curls, making Harry blush again, “Missed your curls.”

“You’re being weird,” Liam eyed him, “Why are you being weird.”

“ _You’re_ being weird, Leemo. It’s your turn by the way. Roll the dice.”

As Liam was taking his turn, Louis turned his attention back to Harry who was still blushing, even more so as Louis began to play with his curls.

“Missed you.”

“I’m sitting by you now.”

Louis huffed and rolled his eyes, “You know damn well I don’t mean just that.”

“Hmm,” Harry smirked, “Whatever could you be talking about.”

“Watch it,” Louis tried his very best to look stern, which was difficult when Harry was practically shaking from holding back his giggles, “You’re sitting beside me and I know your tickle spots. I’d be very careful if I were you.”

Harry yelped and turned his attention back to the game, the blush deepening on his cheeks. It was his turn and he rolled the dice, moving his piece eight spots. 

Niall ended up winning Clue, much to Louis’ shock and horror. Eventually the board games were put away in favor of Netflix. Liam and Niall reclaimed their places on the couch while Harry and Louis leaned against the couch together on the floor. Louis drew little shapes against the thigh of Harry’s blue jeans while Niall oggled RDJ on screen. Louis had lost count of the number of times Niall had chosen some form of a Marvel movie just for the sake of oggling RDJ. When Liam asked how Shawn would be feeling at the moment, Niall just shot back with a, “He’d get it, Lima.”

“Hey,” Louis whispered to Harry’s ear, just for him to hear, “Gonna grab a beer from the kitchen.”

“Okay.”

Louis wondered if Harry got the message, hoped he did anyway, before pushing up off the carpet and heading into the kitchen for another beer. He leaned against the kitchen counter, waiting a moment before, sure enough, Harry appeared beside him. 

“Lou, I really did miss you this week. It was so hard not calling or texting you but I know it was worth it in the end and now I know for sure….”

Louis couldn’t waste another second. He grabbed Harry, spinning them so Harry was pressed against the counter, Louis blocking him in before kissing him. It was cliche, Louis knew, but the kiss could only be described as electric. It was as if all the tension between them these last few years as released and pouring over and once Louis had started kissing Harry, he knew it was going to be damn near impossible to stop. From the living room, Liam made a coughing noise and they broke apart, attention pulled away because of dumb Liam and his phlegm. Louis wanted to smack him. 

“Liam’s such a buzzkill,” Louis hissed.

“Shhh,” Harry giggled, “Also, about damn time, Tomlinson.”

“Excuse me?”

“It took you long enough. And here I was thinking the moment you were going to walk through the door tonight, you were going to grab me and kiss me.”

“Oi, better a bit late than never, right? I was trying to find a good moment. I am pretty sure Lima would have kicked both or asses if I were to just lay you out in the middle of the Monopoly board and go to town on you.”

“Jesus,” It was Harry’s turn to hiss, his cheeks deepening again, “You’ve started something dangerous though. Never want to stop kissing you now. Want to kiss you again. Want to kiss you again forever.”

“You can,” Louis said, tucking an unruly curl behind Harry’s ear, “Gonna kiss you all the time, as often as I can as much as I can, every day from now on, for as long as you’d want me.”

“What are we going to tell them?” Harry nodded towards the living room.

“We’ll figure it out. We don’t have to tell them tonight though. In fact, I was thinking maybe you and I should head out, go back to my place? Can’t exactly lay you out here, but back at mine, every surface is free game.”

Harry flushed, “Jesus, Lou. Okay, yeah. Yeah.”

“Wanna mess with them first real quick?” Louis asked, Harry was already nodding enthusiastically. They were both one in the same, Louis knew. “Alright, follow my lead okay?” 

“Damn it, Harry!” Louis shouted, remembering all those acting classes about learning to make your voice bigger, let it carry, “Could you be even more annoying?”

“Well, I don’t know. I am sure just for you, Tomlinson, I could give it a shot.”

“Insufferable! Liam, Niall, I am so sorry but I just cannot be around Harry Styles for a second longer. Enjoy your movie. I’ll text you later. See you next weekend. Be safe. Make good choices.”

“I can’t deal with him either,” Harry shot back, “Always so obnoxious. _And_ you drank the last Stella, so fuck you.”

“Fuck you too!”

“Both of you! Please, for everyone’s sakes, _go_!” Liam shooed them with his hand, not even looking up from the TV. “See you next Friday.”

Harry and Louis were barely out the door before they collapsed against each other giggling “Liam is so onto us,” Harry shook his head, “You always make fun of him being unobservant, but he _totally_ knows. I can tell.”

“Are you really sore that I drank the last Stella?”

“Oh absolutely. But it’s nothing you can’t make up for back at your place,” Harry grinned, before darting off towards Louis’ car. 

Louis unlocked the car and slid inside, barely turning the key before Harry was already leaning over to mess with the radio station.

“I left it on the station you picked last time,” Louis shook his head, “I’m starting to think you’d do that regardless of the station, you know.”

Harry blinked and Louis’ eyes went wide, “You little shit!”

“It’s just fun to mess with you, Lou. I kind of pride myself on the ability to make the vein in your forehead go all big and your eyes get buggy.”

“My eyes do not get buggy.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Menace.”

Harry giggled, tucking his legs up to his chest, hugging them tightly to him. “I really did miss you this past week you know,” he said genuinely, “But I know we needed to take some time away from being just so….in that little bubble of Niall’s flat, wrapped up in each other. And I needed to work through some more things about Nathan. I went over to his the other night to get some things of mine I’d left there.”

“You did?” Louis’ grip tightened on the wheel. He felt briefly angry with himself for not knowing that, for not being there to go with Harry to take care of that.

“I needed to, and I needed to go by myself and just put some things to bed so to speak. He’s with the guy he met in class. I told him I hope he finds whatever he needs for that hole in his life he was using me to fill. I told him I was happier and healthier without him and that I wished those same things for him someday. And then I grabbed my box of things and walked away without even a glance back. It felt so, _so_ incredible, Louis. Like a scene in a movie. I felt like I needed a badass music track playing as I walked away. But I did it! I did it all on my own and maybe things aren’t completely healed just yet, but they’re on their way to being.” 

Louis couldn’t help but beam and pride spread throughout his chest, “Harry that is incredible. I am so proud of you. H-how are you as far as other things are concerned?”

“Other things meaning us?” Harry asked. Louis nodded and Harry rested his chin on his knees, taking a breath before answering, “I feel so confidently about us, Louis. I still want to take things a bit slow, and I want us to both check in and be open and honest about going at our own pace. At the end of the day what it comes down to is that I want to be yours, and I’d like you to be mine.”

“I definitely feel the same, darling. It’s like I said last week, this is new but we can navigate through it all together. And I am absolutely yours, if you’d have me.”

 

When they got to Louis’, Louis led them over to couch to make up for lost kissing time. They went at their pace and did what came naturally, what felt right to them both. Louis laid Harry out on the couch and bracketed his thighs with his, kissing over his cheeks and temples, across his eye lashes and down his jaw. They kissed until Harry’s stomach growled, making Louis giggle. They broke apart and Louis told him to sit tight, he was going to make them some pasta and they were going to cuddle up under the blankets and eat together. He told Harry to stay put and headed to the kitchen to whip up some pasta and veg. He nearly burned himself twice, however, thanks to eyes constantly wandering towards the living room to see loading Bake Off on Netflix. Louis couldn’t help but smile, even with a burnt hand. 

Once dinner was ready, they cuddled under the blankets with their bowls of pasta, watching Paul and Mary make their rounds and give their critiques, and stealing kisses and sharing soft touches. Louis found he was helpless to keep his hands off Harry, always having to be touching him in some way - kissing his cheek, holding his hand, drawing shapes on his thigh, poking the ticklish spots beneath his ribs, just because he could. Harry was a blushing, dimpling mess on his couch and Louis realized then that this is what he wanted for the rest of forever. Harry had once again made himself fit so seamlessly. 

After they’d finished their pasta, Louis took their bowls back to the kitchen and grabbed one of the little boxes of Conversation Hearts he’d hoarded away from last weekend. “Dessert time,” he announced, tossing the little box towards Harry, who let out an excited squeal.

“Oh my god! You kept one! I thought you hated these!”

“I do, but they’re your favorite. Of course I kept one for you, silly.”

Harry dumped the entire box into the palm of his hand, laying each one out on the thigh of his blue jeans. Louis glanced down at the little pastel hearts, thinking back to a week ago when Harry had arrived at Niall’s doorstep in his little pastel Conversation Hearts t-shirt and red-rimmed eyes. Louis never expected in that moment that Harry Styles was going to change his life, but then again, Harry just had that way about him. Hell, he’d been changing Louis’ life since they’d first met. Louis couldn’t get the picture of Harry on the other side of the door, with his red eyes and silly hearts t-shirt out of his mind though. It hadn’t even taken a full hour for Louis to know in that moment, that he would be willing to spend his entire life doing whatever he could to make Harry as happy as he could. And after the weekend they’d share, Louis knew Harry felt the same. And if that wasn’t love, then what really was?

He picked a pastel green one with the words BE MINE printed on the chalky candy, setting it in his palm and holding it out for Harry. Harry grinned, taking the candy and grabbing a pastel blue one that said KISS ME off his thigh to present to Louis.

Louis didn’t have to be told twice. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi on [tumblr](http://treatpeoplewiithkiindness.tumblr.com) and please like/reblog the [fic post](http://treatpeoplewiithkiindness.tumblr.com/post/182792377928/if-thats-not-love-then-what-is-by) <3 thank you so much!


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